Rufus Taft Hussey (March 12, 1919 – February 24, 1994) was an American marksman. He grew up in
Randolph County, North Carolina
Randolph County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 144,171. Its county seat is Asheboro.
Randolph County is included in the Greensboro- High Point, NC Metropolitan Statistica ...
. He was known as an expert marksman with a
slingshot
A slingshot or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame, with two tubes or strips made from either a natural rubber or synthetic elastic material. These are attached to the upper two ends ...
(also referred to as a beanshooter).
In 1952, Hussey began selling and giving away beanshooters to preserve the dying art of the beanshooter. His beanshooters were sequentially numbered by a serial number.
Hussey was well known in his home county and saw his big break on the national scene when he was invited to appear on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' is an American television talk show broadcast by NBC. The show was the third installment of ''The Tonight Show''. Hosted by Johnny Carson, it aired from October 1, 1962 to May 22, 1992, replacing ''T ...
''. Hussey appeared on the episode that aired on January 23, 1986. Hussey was on the air for almost 10 minutes with Carson, where he talked about beanshooters, displayed his considerable skill, and shot an object out of Carson's hand.
Hussey was also featured in the CBS Saturday Morning news segment "
In the News
''In the News'' is an American series of two-minute televised video segments that summarized topical news stories for children and pre-teens. The segments were broadcast in the United States on the CBS television network from 1971 until 1986, ...
" that aired in the Fall of 1986.
This short segment showcased Hussey, his brother, and their homemade "beanshooters."
Hussey has been called a "Slingshot Expert"
and "the World's Most Accurate Slingshot Assassin."
References
Further reading
*(January 23, 1986.
"Rufus Hussey."''Gettysburg times''
Accessed October 2011.
* Calhoun, Frances (July 4, 1986.
"Reunion Has Old-Fashioned Fun."''The Dispatch''
Accessed October 2011.
* Williams, Jason (September 30, 1994.
"They Haven't Forgotten the Beanshooter Man."''News & Record''
Accessed October 2011.
* (February 29, 1984.
"Man Tells Slingshot Tale."''Times Daily''
Accessed October 2011.
External links
*
Rufus Hussey on Johnny Carson Show
*
1919 births
1994 deaths
Marksmanship
United States Army soldiers
United States Army personnel of World War II
People from Randolph County, North Carolina
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